Severe pertussis in infants: a scoping review.

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Pertussis (Whooping Cough) is a respiratory infection caused by <i>Bordetella pertussis</i>. Pertussis usually occurs in childhood; severe infections are most common in infants. It can be fatal with severe complications such as pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and encephalitis.<h4>Objectives</h4>We sought to synthesize the existing literature on severe pertussis in infants and inform further study.<h4>Methods</h4>A scoping review was performed based on the methodological framework developed by Arksey & O'Malley. Search in Pubmed and Embase databases, with no restrictions on the language and date of publication.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 1299 articles retrieved, 64 were finally included. The selected articles were published between 1979 and 2022, with 90.6% (58/64) of the studies in the last two decades. The studies covered epidemiology, pathology, clinical characteristics, risk factors, treatments, and burden of disease.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The literature reviewed suggests that studies on severe pertussis in infants covered a variety of clinical concerns. However, these studies were observational, and experimental studies are needed to provide high-quality evidence.